Abstract: The present invention provides a fragmented aperture antenna. The antenna includes a planar layer having a plurality of conductive and substantially non-conductive areas. Each area has a periphery that extends along a grid of first and second sets of parallel lines so that each area comprises one or more contiguous elements defined by the parallel lines. The locations of the conducting materials in the fragmented aperture antenna are determined by a multi-stage optimization procedure that tailors the performance of the antenna to a particular application. The resulting configuration and arrangement of conductive and substantially non-conductive areas enable communication of electromagnetic energy wirelessly in a specific direction to the planar layer when an electrical connection is made to at least one of the conductive areas.

Abstract: A photonic bandgap antenna (PBA) (10') utilizes a periodic bandgap material (PBM), which is essentially a dielectric, to transmit, receive, or communicate electromagnetic radiation encoded with information. Further, a photonic bandgap transmission line (PBTL) (10") can also be constructed with the PBM. Because the PBA (10') and PBTL (10") do not utilize metal, the PBA (10') and PBTL (10") can be used in harsh environments, such as those characterized by high temperature and/or high pressure, and can be easily built into a dielectric structure such as a building wall or roof. Further, the PBA (10') and PBTL (10") inhibit scattering by incident electromagnetic radiation at frequencies outside those electromagnetic frequencies in the bandgap range associated with the PBM.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for knitting intarsia design jersey knit fabric on a circular knitting machine capable of knitting single jersey fabric.

Abstract: A splash-proof container and container cover in which the container has a flange and shelf and the cover has flat areas and raised areas which in cooperation with the container shelf, passages in the cover connected to the cover raised areas and ports connected thereto permit fluid to flow from the container and air to enter the container when the container is tilted but which prevent liquid from splashing or spilling when the container is vertical and shaken or jostled.

Abstract: A splash-proof container and container cover in which the container has an opening for pouring liquid from the container, an air opening in the cover for bleeding air into and out of the container, a spout at the edge of the container and container cover adjacent the liquid opening for receiving and directing liquid poured through the liquid opening and baffle means on the bottom surface of the cover and extending under and across the liquid and air openings for preventing liquid from being splashed from the covered container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for drawing and knitting yarn on a circular knitting machine which includes a needle cylinder, a sinker ring fixedly mounted on the cylinder and having a plurality of equally spaced, radially extending sinker grooves. Each groove contains a sinker having a step on its bottom surface adjacent the cylinder end of the sinker. The ring includes a well adjacent the needle cylinder and a shelf between the well and the sinker grooves. A cam occurs on the ring for sequentially moving the sinkers, one after the other, radially toward and radially away from the cylinder so that the bottom surfaces and steps on the sinkers engage the bottom surface and shelf of the sinker groove when the sinkers are moved radially inward to lower the needle cylinder end of each sinker and to raise the needle cylinder end of the sinker when the sinkers are moved radially outward. A guide is on the cam for engaging the sinker and guiding the sinker downwardly to engage the sinker step in the sinker ring well.

Abstract: A stabilizer for use on circular knitting machines for maintaining alignment between the cylinder and dial during circular knitting of a fabric having a longitudinally extending strip of float yarns between the beginning and end of circularly knit rows of stitches, the stabilizer including a first roller mounted for rotation on the cylinder against one side of the longitudinally extending strip of float yarns, a second roller in mating engagement with the first roller and mounted for rotation on the dial against the other side of the longitudinally extending strip of float yarns and in mating engagement with the first roller and means for driving one of the rollers for feeding the float yarns in the strip between the rollers as the float yarns are engaged between the rollers.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine and method of knitting in which the machine has a knitting cam track, an idle track and means for transferring selected needles from one track to the other, the machine having at least one set of needles movable through a knitting cycle by the cams in said knitting cam track and movable rearwardly to an inactive position in said idle track.

Abstract: A plurality of yarn feeding assemblies are mounted about a circular multifeed knitting machine. Each assembly comprises a U-shaped hanger bracket and a shaft is rotatably mounted in the arms of the bracket. On each shaft one or more yarn feeding units are mounted for rotation therewith about the shaft axis. Each unit is comprised of a pair of toothed wheels, one of the wheels being fixed to the shaft and the other one being axially movable along said shaft in order to vary the spacing the wheels. Means are provided for selectively varying the spacing between the front faces of the wheels. Each wheel is constituted by a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced apart ribs, the front faces of the ribs of one wheel facing the front faces of the ribs of the other wheel. The ribs of each wheel are receivable within the spaces between the ribs of the other wheel.

Abstract: A needle bed is provided with laterally spaced apart longitudinally extending needle grooves in which there is slidably positioned a needle, a jack and a multiplier rocker between the jack and the needle, the rocker pivoting forwardly-rearwardly about a pintle inwardly of the bed. The jack has a contact at its forward end which contacts the rocker between the pintle and the outer rocker end and the rocker has a contact near its outer end for contacting the rear of the needle whereby forward movement of the jack pivots the rocker to cause the rocker to move the needle forwardly a greater distance than did the jack. Each jack is provided with a control butt and at least one pattern butt, each jack having plural sites at which a pattern butt can be located. The cam portion for actuating the jacks and needles has a multiple patterning raceway having longitudinally spaced apart pattern camming segments individually movable between an operative and an inoperative position.